ANNAMACHARYULU
163 ఏమిసేతు దైవమా యెన్నఁడు గరుణించేవో
(EmisEtu daivamA yennaDu garuNiMchEvO)
for Telegu (తెలుగు) Version press here
Synopsis: Integration is a basic
law of life; when we resist it, disintegration is the natural result, both
inside and outside of us. Thus, we come to the concept of harmony through
integration. – Norman Cousins
Summary of this Poem:
Chorus: My
mind got ragged due to bludgeoning of fate to become a long rope riddled with
knots. What should I do until you shower mercy? Implied Meaning: O God! Tell me what should I do with this work-hardened
mind?
Stanza
1: The senses
are suffocating me as if taking revenge. My wretched births
seem to have cursed me with no respite.
Stanza
2: I'm not
sure of what transgressions and sins I've committed, as this intense anger boils
me persistently. I know not whose curse struck me, stripping me of all the
wisdom I've accumulated and leaving me weak and wanting.
Stanza
3: This
aboriginal nature continually getting me stuck to sticky deeds without any provocation. O Lord
Venkateshwara, I declare you alone as my saviour. You be in my mind and save me
from these travails.
Detailed Presentation
Introduction: Annamacharya
summed up the problems plaguing the human-beings in few words. He questioned
the striations we have drawn something as outside and else as inside. In the
poem “vAdamEla sAresAre vaDi mukti lEdaMTA”#2 (వాదమేల సారెసారె వడి ముక్తి లేదంటా) we have seen the outer
turning into the inner. Now in this poem we see the inner being transformed
into memory and inert matter. Annamacharya pooh-poohed our preparations for future
and the invisible borders we erect. He simply blasts that we waste our efforts.
Not grasping the unity of inner and outer, humanity persists in searching for the identity of a higher power. Annamacharya frequently discouraged people from engaging in such pursuits.
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కీర్తన:
రాగిరేకు: 118-3 సంపుటము: 2-105
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POEM
Copper Leaf:
118-3
Volume: 2-105
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ఏమిసేతు దైవమా యెన్నఁడు గరుణించేవో దామెన సంసారములోఁ దట్టువడీ మనసు ॥పల్లవి॥ యెక్కడి పగయొకో ఇంద్రియాలు నన్నుఁబట్టి చక్కుముక్కు సేసి యెంచి సాధించీని గుక్కక యేమిసేసిన కొలయొకో వెంటవెంట వెక్కసపు పుట్టువులై వెనుతగిలీని ॥ఏమి॥ యెన్నాళ్లపాపమొకో యెడతెగక నాలోన వున్నతపుఁ గోపమై వుమ్మగిలీని తిన్ననై యెవ్వరిచేతితిట్టు దాఁకినవిధమో విన్ననై విజ్ఞానమెల్లా వీటిఁబోయఁ దుదిని ॥ఏమి॥ యే వేళ గుణమో యెడతెగని కర్మాలు రావిమాని జిగురై వూరక యంటీని శ్రీవేంకటేశుఁడ నీవు చి త్తములోపల నుండి కావఁగఁగదా నీవే గతి యనవలసె ॥ఏమి॥
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EmisEtu daivamA yennaDu garuNiMchEvO
dAmena saMsAramulO daTTuvaDI manasu ॥pallavi॥ yekkaDi pagayokO iMdriyAlu nannubaTTi
chakkumukku sEsi yeMchi sAdhiMchIni
gukkaka yEmisEsina kolayokO veMTaveMTa
vekkasapu puTTuvulai venutagilIni ॥Emi॥ yennALlapApamokO yeDategaka nAlOna
vunnatapu gOpamai vummagilIni
tinnanai yevvarichEtitiTTu
dAkinavidhamO
vinnanai vij~nAnamellA vITibOya dudini
॥Emi॥ yE vELa guNamO yeDategani karmAlu
rAvimAni jigurai vUraka yaMTIni
SrIvEMkaTESuDa nIvu chi ttamulOpala
nuMDi
kAvagagadA nIvE gati yanavalase ॥Emi॥
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Details and Explanations:
Word to word meaning: ఏమిసేతు (EmisEtu) = what can I do? (in the sense of I am unable to decide) దైవమా (daivamA) = O God; యెన్నఁడు (yennaDu) = When will; గరుణించేవో
(garuNiMchEvO) = you be kind to me; దామెన (dAmena) a long cord along which cattle are secured in a line by
means of separate short halters. సంసారములోఁ (saMsAramulO)= in this world; దట్టువడీ (daTTuvaDI) = hardened by mashing; మనసు (manasu) = mind;
Literal
meaning: My mind got ragged due to
bludgeoning of fate to become a long rope riddled with knots. What should I do
until you shower mercy?
Explanation: daTTuvaDI manasu దట్టువడీ మనసు = is suggesting a mind that has turned harder. Less supple after experiences. Such a mind has no virtue. Jaggedness indicates an abnormality from natural. We have discussed many times before the need for a mind without an iota of 'resistance'.
dAmena saMsAramu (దామెన సంసారము): is indicating that
the memories and striations left by experience impose limits on free movement
of the mind.
The path of this life is like walk on thorns. Annamacharya laments his inability to determine further action due to his coarsened mind. He is seeking out to God for further action.
Implied
Meaning: O God! Tell
me what should I do with this work-hardened mind?
Word to word meaning: యెక్కడి (yekkaDi) = where; పగయొకో (pagayokO) = kind of revenge; ఇంద్రియాలు (iMdriyAlu) = the sense organs; నన్నుఁబట్టి (nannubaTTi)
= taking me on; చక్కుముక్కు సేసి (chakkumukku
sEsi) = to break or shatter into pieces. యెంచి
(yeMchi)
= choosing; సాధించీని (sAdhiMchIni)
= to accomplish, to persist; గుక్కక (gukkaka) = without allowing breathing
space; యేమిసేసిన (yEmisEsina) కొలయొకో (kolayokO) = enmity, hostility; వెంటవెంట (veMTaveMTa)
= follow very closely; వెక్కసపు (vekkasapu) = causing repugnance / disgust; పుట్టువులై (puTTuvulai) = births; వెనుతగిలీని (venutagilIni) = chase me;
Literal
meaning: The senses are suffocating me as if taking revenge. My past wretched births seem to have cursed me with no
respite.
Explanation: Take
a critical look at René Magritte's painting titled "La-folie-Alameyer".
I will try to explain the whole poem based on this picture. Magritte made the painting
of the dilapidated tower by adding organic roots to it as if the tower is extension
of a tree. It is natural that the organic roots with life turn into inert
matter.
It can be observed that the roots,
including the bark of the tree, are transformed into bricks as the reach the
bottom of the tower. Cracks also be seen between the bricks as we go up the
tower. The farther bricks are aged and can observe more fractures in them.
A ruined tower represents the
transformation of experience into memory. The cracks in the 'Tower' represent
gaps in memory. Many roots refer to the many sources from which we perceive
information. Because of numericity we cannot determine source of a particular
information. It is easy to see that each brick stores a partial experience. It
is also known that many bricks are put together to form an experience.
Individual bricks can also be thought of
as acting as stores of information. Fractures lead to obscuring of experience.
The material that holds the bricks together is useful for accessing (more appropriate
is synthesising) information within them. The circular tower indicates that
part of the experience is on the unseen side.
And we know that the roots in the lower
part are spread in all directions. The tower was lifted up in the air
indicating that many things that can penetrate into a human being can enter
without direct contact (without touching). All the roots shown below
represent the many nerves, senses, mind and atmosphere that surrounds the whole
body. Just as trees bring water from underground to their branches, all the
experiences received come to the surface through the roots and then become
bricks.
dAmena
saMsAramulO daTTuvaDI manasu (దామెన సంసారములోఁ దట్టువడీ మనసు): This phrase imply that
personal experiences are converted into memories. So, the recollection is just
a recording, but it cannot accurately represent the live incident. It seems
that Annamacharya doesn't value memories as much as real life experiences.
In the previous poem we saw the outer turning into the
inner. Now in this poem we can see the transformation of inner being into
memory and inert matter. This both the outer and internal transformation to
external internal inert matter is not easily accepted but cannot be denied as a
fact. Now understand the relevance of this statement from Verse 7-4 of Bhagavad
Gita भूमिरापोऽनलो वायु: खं मनो बुद्धिरेव च | अहङ्कार इतीयं मे भिन्ना प्रकृतिरष्टधा || 7-4| bhūmir-āpo ’nalo vāyuḥ
khaṁ mano buddhir eva cha ahankāra itīyaṁ me bhinnā prakṛitir aṣhṭadhā Purport: “All that exists in
the universe has manifested from My material energy.” Just one material energy
has extended itself into myriad shapes, forms, and entities of this world.
Thus man is affected in both ways. Neither the inner nor
the outer can be taken as absolute truth. (ఇంద్రియాలు నన్నుఁబట్టి చక్కుముక్కు సేసి iMdriyAlu nannubaTTi chakkumukku
sEsi = The senses choke me.) Therefore, the Annamacharyas always say
to eschew both internal and external. (thought, memory - external responses)
External is the environment transformed into internal. The challenge before man
is to find out how to get rid of them. There are no clear answers to this.
These do not come and stay put one time.
A man is bombarded (చక్కుముక్కు సేసి chakkumukku sEsi =
they bewilder) with a constant, twenty-four-hour barrage of information. Man
builds not a tower but a big castle on his head. Living in that fort, forms
opinions on everything visible to him. On the people and on the society and what
not? He continues to consider what he knows is the truth.
Both Annamacharya and Jiddu Krishnamurthi said look at the
problem without looking for solution. {refer to poem వలచి పైకొనఁగరాదు వలదని తొలఁగరాదు. valachi paikonagarAdu
valadani tolagarAdu = you shall not take up with desire; neither turn away
without examination = thus look at the problem without desire for solution.}
Word to word meaning: యెన్నాళ్లపాపమొకో (yennALlapApamokO) = how deep is my sin; యెడతెగక (yeDategaka) = continousuly; నాలోన (nAlOna)
= inside me; వున్నతపుఁ (vunnatapu)
= great high; గోపమై (gOpamai)
= transformed to anger వుమ్మగిలీని (vummagilIni)
= to allow the heat of the vessel to dry
up residual water in food; తిన్ననై (tinnanai)
= straight; యెవ్వరిచేతితిట్టు (yevvarichEtitiTTu) = who cursed; దాఁకినవిధమో (dAkinavidhamO)
= striking me thus; విన్ననై (vinnanai) = paled, deficient; విజ్ఞానమెల్లా (vij~nAnamellA)
= all knowledge; వీటిఁబోయఁ (vITibOya)
= plundered; దుదిని (dudini)
= at the end.
Literal
meaning: I'm not sure of what
transgressions and sins I've committed, whatever it may be, this intense anger boils me
persistently. I know not whose curse struck me, stripping me of all the wisdom
I've accumulated and leaving me weak and wanting.
Explanation: tinnanai yevvarichEtitiTTu dAkinavidhamO vinnanai
vij~nAnamellA vITibOya dudini తిన్ననై యెవ్వరిచేతితిట్టు దాఁకినవిధమో / విన్ననై విజ్ఞానమెల్లా వీటిఁబోయఁ దుదిని: We prepare ourselves to take up the
challenge of life. We arrange everything to a known order. We arm ourselves
with education; we fortify our coffers with money. We get familiar with some or
the other art forms. We socialise to get the assurance of societal support. But
reality is always different from our preparations. Is it wise to muse on the unknown? Annamacharya criticised our preposterous preparations by saying కోరి నిద్రించ బరచు – కొన నుద్యోగింతు గాని / సారె లేతునో లేవనో – జాడ తెలియ నేను#2 (kOri nidriMcha barachu
kona nudyOgiMtu gAni / sAre lEtunO lEvanO jADa deliya nEnu = I will start
preparing for tomorrow without knowing whether it will be get up or not).
Word to word meaning: యే వేళ గుణమో (yE vELa guNamO) = how old is this nature;
యెడతెగని (yeDategani) = continually; కర్మాలు (karmAlu) = deeds; రావిమాని జిగురై (rAvimAni jigurai) = sticky gum of aśhvattham (the sacred fig tree); వూరక (vUraka) = without any provocation; యంటీని (yaMTIni)
= get stuck (to me) శ్రీవేంకటేశుఁడ (SrIvEMkaTESuDa) = Sri Venkateshwara; నీవు (nIvu) = you; చిత్తములోపల నుండి (chittamulOpala nuMDi) = staying in my
mind; కావఁగఁగదా (kAvagagadA) = save me; నీవే (nIvE) = you alone; గతి (gati) = my saviour; యనవలసె (yanavalase)
= I have to declare.
Literal
meaning: This aboriginal nature
continually getting me stuck to sticky deeds without any provocation. O Lord
Venkateshwara, I declare you alone as my saviour. You be in my mind and save me
from these travails.
Explanation: rAvimAni jigurai vUraka yaMTIni “రావిమాని
జిగురై వూరక యంటీని”: Let's go back at the painting "La-folie-Alameyer"
again. Annamacharya says that on the path of self-realisation, one may have to
travel anonymously, ignoring hunger and defencelessness. Life is not a cinema
song to wish away hard realities. Hunger, protection, and lack of recognition
(anonymity) all make a man cower in fear. All these challenges may force man to
revert to comfortable situation. Annamacharya described these actions hunger, anonymity,
and protection as sticky glues.
The real obstacle to man is not from outside. Unable to know
oneself comprehensively is the sole reason. He should be able discover himself without
missing a single tiny spot. Is this possible?
Now the 360 degree appraisals and many
psychology based applications claiming to provide complete view of oneself. All these are based on certain assumptions. They
are as accurate as their assumptions are. Therefore, the only way to know the truth for
a man is to come out of himself and see. These words of Annamacharya are worth
noting: “ఏ వుపాయములు యెక్కడి కెక్కను శ్రీవల్లభ నీ సేవే ఘనము” {E vupAyamulu yekkaDi kekkanu SrIvallabha nI sEvE ghanamu} = Where is the contrivance
or skill to reach you (none). Only way is to stay in your service.
The great ones, with the power of their
mind could separate themselves from their body as it happened in the case of
Jiddu Krishnamurti. Mahabharat also
describes such legends. Such an act is not possible with human effort. Therefore,
Annamacharya proposed unwavering devotion to God as the only path. That is Bhagavad-Gita verse 2-41 व्यवसायात्मिका
बुद्धिरेकेह कुरुनन्दन vyavasāyātmikā buddhir ekeha kuru-nandana Purport: There is only one intelligent way. (All others
are not).
References
and Recommendations for further reading:
#1 162 వాదమేల సారెసారె వడి ముక్తి లేదంటా (vAdamEla sAresAre vaDi mukti lEdaMTA)
#2 6. వెనకేదో ముందరేదో (venakEdO muMdarEdO)
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